Hold
by KevlarMasquerade
Summary: They were always there. From the beginning they've been an arm's length away, on opposite sides. All they had to do was reach. Companion fic to Reach. In between moments, alternate endings and points of view galore.
1. Chapter 1

"So, that alien girl... kinda hot, right?" Beast Boy was smiling, but not all his humor was in it. Spirits were pretty low.

"Really?" Raven snapped. "Must you?"

"Totally. Tall enough for you, Cy?" Beast Boy nudged him in the shoulder.

"It's okay, guys. She didn't get any gems, really. Three or four, maybe. Nothing the jeweler's insurance won't handle. I want to talk teamwork. We're improving, honestly, and I think we'd rally benefit from working out the kinks in our individual forms-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cyborg demanded.

"For example, you need to be a quicker shot. A little more subtle with your movements. Beast Boy and Raven did well, although I don't think the hippopotamus approach was a good one because if you cracked the roof of the-"

"And what about you, Boy Wonder? Whadda you gotta fix?" Cyborg growled sulkily.

Robin knew he was being baited, but the question was still valid and he considered it. "I probably could've been more communicative. More decisive. Given orders and taken control."

"Speaking of you being communicative," Raven interrupted calmly, "care to inform us of where you've seen that alien girl before?"

"Oh. Yeah. Her name's Starfire. She started out in Gotham-"

"I thought she was an alien?" Beast Boy cut in. "How can she be from Gotham?"

"No, not from Gotham. She was just there. She crash landed," Robin clarified. And then there was that stupid kiss... Yeah, he wasn't going to be telling them about that. He gulped and continued. "Um, anyway, she kinda ran into Catwoman while she was there and I think she's modeled herself after her."

"I got a question," Beast Boy said. "Why's she talk in English?"

Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Just cuz that alien on Clash of the Planets learned new languages by drinkin' brains through a straw don't mean it's real, green for brains."

Beast Boy crossed his arms and huffed. "I know that! I was just curious!" He paused. "And maybe she learned through a psychic mind meld like that alien from season one, episode-"

"She ain't psychic, neither!"

Robin was glad for their arguing, as Beast Boy's question made a blush creep up his neck and his voice come out in a high-pitched squeak.

Raven was looking at him curiously. She must have felt his reaction. She narrowed her eyes and he shook his head, warning her not to-

"How_ did _she learn English, Robin?" she asked softly.

"I don't really think that's necessary for our information," he said, trying to sound diplomatic and stern.

Raven shrugged. "Just to end the argument, then."

"Yeah, how?" Beast Boy asked. He was genuinely interested , which Robin supposed was good. But then, he was only curious because he thought it had something to do with Clash of the Planets.

"I, um..."

"You were there, right? I'd kind of like to know. If she knows a multitude of languages, that could be helpful, plus if she leaves the country we could guess where she went by the languages she speaks." Cyborg raised an eyebrow at Robin.

"Um, it seems that she's able to learn languages through, ah, a kiss."

Beast Boy considered this. "That makes sense, actually," he mumbled.

Raven's eyes widened at him. She knew right away what he was trying to avoid saying, but thankfully she kept her mouth shut about it. It was a little unnerving that he couldn't hide anything from her. He knew that she was hiding a lot from him.

"Do you think she only absorbs the first language? Or any language the other person speaks?" Cyborg was in full analyzing mode now. "Do you think you can find out who she kissed and see how many languages they speak?"

"No!" Robin answered quickly.

Confused silence.

"Um, I mean, there were a lot of people there and I wasn't really-"

"It's gotta be on some kinda footage, right? From a store camera or something? Don't you and Bats have your own CCTV system rigged through the whole city?" Cyborg started tapping on his arm. "If you give me entrance, I can look if you want.

Cyborg would never get entrance to the bat-cameras, but that was beside the point. "I'm sure it's not important." Robin crossed his arms to signify that he was done with this conversation when Beast Boy broke out in a laugh. "It's you, isn't it!"

Robin stared at him.

"It so is! Look at his face, Rae!" He nudged her in the ribs and got a flash of glowing angry eyes for his trouble, but he was enjoying this too much to care.

"Beast Boy," Robin growled, "it's not-"

He jumped onto the back of the sofa. "Robin and Starfire sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Beast Boy!" Robin snapped. "Cut it out!"

"First comes luuuurve, then comes marriage, then comes orange alien baby in the- oof!"

Robin had had about enough of this, and he threw a birdarang at Beast Boy. It connected with the changeling's ankles and he was knocked off the back of the couch, landing on the floor in a heap.

Robin caught the birdarang again and stowed it back in his belt. "Anyone want to add anything else?"

Raven looked as annoyed as Robin felt and Cyborg looked kind of smug.

"Naw. I think we're good." Cyborg glanced over at Beast Boy on the ground.

"Honestly," Raven grumbled. "How old are you?"

"I still wanna try an' find out how many languages she talks, so it's kinda good that she learned from you, objectively speaking." A light smile tugged at Cyborg's mouth and he said, "So, did you teach her French?"

Robin growled and stomped toward the door.

"The language of luuuuuurve, dude!" Cyborg called as robin punched in the keycode to make the door slide open.

Beast Boy reached a hand up for a high five and Cyborg slapped him one.

Raven shook her head. "Honestly. You embarrassed him."

"'Bout time, too. He's always so perfect during training and on the field, it's about time we got material. You're the emotion eater, Rae, is he totally head over heels for our gem-snatching alien?"

"I'm not sharing emotions," she snapped. She didn't like it when Cyborg referred to her as an emotion eater.

"Dude, I wouldn't blame him, honestly. I mean, legs. So long."

Raven scrunched her nose and stood. "You're disgusting."

"There's nothing wrong with looking!" Beast Boy defended himself. "Like you didn't think Plasmus was super cute."

"Congratulations. You've chased two people out of the common room now." Raven levitated to the door and just made a portal for herself.

Robin would be fine. He was embarrassed and angry and... Something else. Raven didn't like to pry and she usually avoided actively reading her friends' emotions, but to divulge exactly what he was feeling would take some digging. It was better just to leave him alone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the lack of author's note or anything on the last chapter. Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I think I got back to everyone. I was on vacation last week, so I may have missed some. If I did, sorry, but I still really appreciate the support! I don't think I'm going to do teasers for this story, because the chapters are going to be mostly drabbles, although I will let you know what the subject of the next chapter is going to be, so you won't be completely in the dark. I also realize that I forgot a disclaimer at the beginning of the fic, but you all know that I don't own Teen Titans. And if you forgot, there was your reminder. Alright, then. Let's get this show on the road.**

_Terra_, the plaque read. _A Teen Titan. A true friend._

Starfire floated in front of the stone girl, knees crossed and back hunched as she inspected her.

She'd known of this girl's existence, even before the cataclysmic clearing out of the city. Luckily, she'd been in Gotham for that. Or unluckily. It depended on how you looked at it, and Starfire wasn't quite sure how she did.

Starfire bobbed gently, leaning closer.

Although she'd known about the girl's existence, she hadn't known the specifics. What color were her eyes? They were open, now, frozen into steely gray rock.

It felt disrespectful, coming here. She wasn't a friend. She hadn't known the girl in stone personally. They'd never spoken. She didn't know anything about this girl, really.

And what made it worse was that she wasn't even here to mourn.

Starfire was solemn, but the kind of solemn that accompanied deep thought instead of sad feeling feelings.

So many thoughts swirled around her head. What did the Titans really think of Terra? She knew that Beast Boy especially liked her, and the others were kind to her.

What did Robin really think of her?

The thought scratched at the back of Starfire's mind, and she shook it off quickly. That didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore, not for this girl… not for Terra.

Other thoughts that made her feel just as guilty crept into Starfire's mind. What if that were Starfire, frozen in stone, immoveable. She didn't know the specifics, but clearly something happened. Something the Titans couldn't prevent. They must feel guilty. But would they feel guilty if it was Starfire? The girl who they hardly knew, the girl who stole occasionally, the girl who almost brought Gotham to destruction by the hands of Gordanians?

Starfire landed. She felt strangely connected to the statue girl. She wished they'd met.

"Terra," Starfire whispered, her voice sounding too loud in the quiet of the cave that housed the girl. "I am sorry for what happened to you. The Titans-"

Footsteps. Starfire whirled around, ready for a fight. No. She doused the starbolts she lit as an instinctive reaction and paused. She couldn't fight in here. Not in front of the statue girl.

She also wasn't supposed to be in this cave-memorial. The Titans put a barrier in front of the cave. It was no more than black and yellow tape, similar to police tape that warned bystanders not to cross into a certain area. Starfire was not about to be stopped by something as flimsy as tape. If they wanted people to stay out, she decided, they should have set up a better barrier.

That was before she thought she would get caught. Now she was cursing herself for her curiosity, which she could never seem to get the better of. She sighed and ducked behind a rock structure that jutted out from the ground.

"Terra." It was Beast Boy's voice. "I… how are you doing?" He sounded so sad. It broke Starfire's heart a little. "I brought this. I thought you might like having this around. Something to look at other than dirt." An object, hollow by the sounds of it, was placed by the base of the statue. "I don't suppose you're gonna break out any time soon?" Beast Boy left a long pause, maybe giving Terra an opportunity to respond.

"Please," he said after the long pause. "I… Miss you. Even after everything you did… We all miss you." Another long pause. "Raven can't cure you. She doesn't know why. She thinks you're healing in there. But I told you, Terra, you control your powers. Your powers don't control you. You're hiding in there. I know it and you know it, too. You don't need to hide."

Starfire squeezed her eyes shut. She should not be hearing this. This was a private moment, and even if Beast Boy never found out about her presence, she was interrupting him. She certainly would not like someone to spy on her if the situation were reversed.

"Don't hide, Terra. Stop- stop hiding." Beast Boy's voice was rising in pitch. He was getting angry. Starfire put her hands over her ears, although that proved to be less than ineffective.

"Come out of there! I know you can do it! You can't just leave me like this!"

There was a bestial snarl and a very loud thump. The ground beneath Starfire shook a little. She peeked out in time to see Beast Boy transform from something large and hulking to his normal form. He panted angrily, his fists balled up, but his anger quickly melted away and he stared down in horror.

He'd knocked Terra off her base.

"T-Terra!" he gasped, horrified. "I'm sorry! No, no, no…" He scrambled over to her head and attempted to lift her by the shoulders. She seemed too heavy for him.

Starfire wondered why he didn't change into a more powerful animal to make lifting Terra easier, but he looked panicked and she supposed that he wasn't thinking clearly.

"I'm so sorry, Terra," Beast Boy choked, and she could hear tears in his voice.

Starfire couldn't handle this anymore. Very quietly, she floated next to him and gently lifted the statue girl, returning her to her place on top of the stone base. Beast Boy was sill sprawled on the floor, his legs in an M, his forehead in his hands.

She should go. He didn't want her here. "Um… Beast Boy?"

He snapped his head up at her, baring his teeth in a fearsome growl even without shifting his shape. His voice was hard and sharp as he snapped, "What are you doing here?" Shining tear tracks streaked own his face, and Starfire stayed meek. She wasn't frightened. She could overpower Beast Boy in his human form, and most probably even in his most fearsome animal form, although it would be difficult.

"I came to pay my respects," she told him softly. It was a lie. She intended to pay her respects, but she wound up battling her own jealousy. She tensed a little at the thought. How despicable of her to be jealous of the statue girl, knowing that she may very well be petrified for the rest of her days.

Beast Boy's entire body softened. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, and she wasn't sure if he was talking to her or to Terra. "I mean, you're evil-"

She was not, but she let it slide.

"-and Terra's here, and she's so…"

"It is the okay. She is your friend. You cared deeply for her. All of this is normal."

Silent tears leaked from his eyes. "She was my best friend. I told her no matter what… and then I… I couldn't protect her."

Starfire bit her lip, deciding. She couldn't leave him, not like this. She kneeled in front of him and took one of his hands, a supportive squeeze. He didn't squeeze her back and he just held his hand out limply, not fighting her hold at all. "Sometimes we make promises we cannot keep, not because we do not wish to keep them but because we do not know we cannot. True friends acknowledge that and understand."

Beast Boy surprised her by throwing his arms around her neck. He leaned into her shoulder, although she didn't think he was crying. She patted his back softly, soothing him into he pushed away from her an ran a hand through his hair, visibly feeling a little awkward.

"Um… sorry. I usually come by myself so that no one has to see… that."

"Do not worry." Starfire smiled kindly and helped him to stand. "It is understandable. May I inquire about the box, however?"

Beast Boy tensed up and Starfire regretted asking. She shot a guilty look at the sparkly, silver, heart-shaped box that rested at Terra's feet, now that she was righted on top of the statue base.

"I… made that for her. Before. Raven said I should probably keep it where I can't see it, but I didn't want to. So I put it where I can only see it sometimes." He scratched the back of his head. "Kinda stupid, I know. But I can't just get rid of it."

"No," Starfire said, shaking her head. "I think it is a good idea. Even if it hurts, it is important to remember. And maybe one day it will not hurt so much."

He smiled at her, dropping his hand from the back of her head. "Yeah, maybe. Thanks, Starfire."

"It is not a problem," she told him, smiling. "I am glad to be of help."

"Maybe you're not so evil," he mused, and she didn't know whether to be pleased or offended. "Um, so, do you wanna hear about… Terra?"

Starfire bit her lip again. She didn't, honestly. Her story was sure to be riddled with trials and unfairness and strife, but all that Starfire would feel was that knot of guilty jealousy that wouldn't go away. But Beast Boy wanted to tell her, and he looked as though he needed to talk.

"Yes," she decided. "I do."

Beast Boy sat and patted the ground next to him. Starfire took a seat there and he paused, unsure of where to begin.

"What was her favorite color?" Starfire prompted, hoping to set him at ease by asking about simple facts.

He smiled, memories apparently flooding into his mind. "Red. Her favorite color was red."

**Yep. In chapter 13 of Reach, I had Robin mention Terra and Starfire knew who she was. That wasn't a continuity error; that was me having this in my headcanon. This is set between chapters 10 and 11, since chapter 10 was Transformation (season 2, episode 7) and chapter 11 was X (season 3, episode 2). There's a lot of time between those two chapters, and obviously this has to happen after the season 2 finale. I purposely kept Star out of the season finales, but that doesn't mean she doesn't know any of what was going on.**

**Next chapter: Star/X pilfering action.**


	3. Chapter 3

"I cannot believe I allowed you to do the talking of me into this," Starfire grumbled, sulking.

"Aw, come on, cutie. You like it."

Starfire frowned at Red X. "I do not usually pilfer for money."

"Well, when the contract requires you to steal a very famous string of pearls for big money, you do it." Red X studied the ventilation system, crouching and running a scanner over it.

"Why not simply keep the pearls yourself?"

"Pearls aren't really my style, cutie." The device beeped and Red X grumbled something under his breath. He pulled a tablet out from his belt and began typing one handed. He was a professional-grade hacker, so Starfire didn't bother to ask if he needed help.

"You could sell them," she pointed out.

"Nah, too risky," he replied without looking away from the tablet. "It'd have to be on the black market and I'd probably get ripped off, plus the chance of a police snitch offering to buy it from me is pretty high."

Starfire fell quiet. For one the Titans considered a villain and a thief, she didn't know very much about being successful in these endeavors. "Why is this string of pearls famous?" she asked after he set the tablet on the ground and got out his scanner again.

"It belonged to Martha Wayne," he answered. He seemed satisfied with whatever the scanner was displaying, because he shoved both his tablet and the scanner back into the belt and he unscrewed the top off the vent.

He was so preoccupied that he hadn't noticed Starfire's tiny gasp. She knew Martha Wayne. Not personally, of course. She died years ago, years before Starfire even studied Earth, let alone found cause to go there. But Starfire knew that she was the beloved mother of Bruce Wayne, the kind but quiet man who engaged in dating rituals with Selina. She couldn't steal from him!

"Um, Red X, perhaps it would be better if I-"

"Hey, don't wimp out on me now," Red X scolded her. "You promised you'd come with me. Besides, I can guarantee your birdbrained traffic light'll show up."

Starfire bit her lip. "Truly?"

"Yep. He gets real pissed when I steal from WayneTech, so stealing from Bruce Wayne's bank vault shouldn't be much different. Wayne funds the Titans, you see." Red X winked at her, a gesture that was almost lost thanks to the full face mask.

"But would it not upset Bruce Wayne to have his mother's necklace stolen from him?"

Red X lifted his shoulders and set the vent cover on the ground. "I dunno. Maybe. It's not about Wayne, though. It's about me and my cut. Which I'll share with you, obviously."

Okay, Starfire was formulating a plan. Help Red X break in, then snatch the necklace away from him and hand deliver it to Robin. That way, he'd know that it needed to be moved to a higher security facility.

No, it wasn't just because she wanted to see him. Honest.

Red X peered into the vent. It was dark, but his night vision allowed him to see all that he needed. "It's a straight drop about six feet. Lower me down? I don't want to land too hard on the duct."

Starfire sighed and took his hand, obliging him. This was a bad idea. If anything went wrong and Red X _did_ manage to get the pearls, Robin would never forgive her.

Red X's feet hit the duct beneath them and she let go, hovering inches off the ground herself. She didn't trust the duct much.

"Okay, we need to go down to the fourth floor… and the thirteenth cell on the left." Red X glanced at Starfire. "Thirteen's always been my favorite number." He fell to his hands and knees, and Starfire had to crouch as well, although she continued to float rather than shuffle forward on her hands and knees.

"Interesting," she mumbled.

"Kinda tense, huh?" Red X put a hand out and tapped his mask, looking for something she couldn't see. Infrared lasers or motion sensors or-

"I suppose," she answered quickly as she recovered from being so distracted. "I have never done the big heist."

"This isn't _that_ big," Red X told her humbly.

"Even I know who Martha Wayne is," she reminded him dully.

Red X pulled the tablet out of his belt again and typed on it. "I think it has more to do with hitting Bruce Wayne where it hurts than it does with Martha Wayne."

"Even so. It makes me uneasy."

"Nothin' to be uneasy about, cutie. You've got one hell of a great partner working with you." The tablet was tucked back into the silver belt.

"What was the problem?" Starfire asked, wanting to be wary even though she trusted him to resolve any issue they might encounter.

"Infrared lasers." She knew it! "But I took care of those. Okay, cutie, another drop here. If you don't mind." He held his hand out for her.

She had to awkwardly shuffle around him to get to the drop before he did, and she wished that she had gone before him. Although, of course, if she did that, she would have to endure the possibility of Red X watching her more closely than she would have liked.

Red X crouched over an opening and cut through the duct with a laser, removing the covering enough for them to fit through, one at a time. Red X landed on the balls of his feet and dropped to a crouch, so quiet that Starfire could hardly believe he was next to her. She hovered in the air beside him.

They were in a small room- empty of any guards, as they were all patrolling the halls outside, devoid of any defining characteristics except for a glass display case atop a sleek pedestal and an automated, metal door, seeming to have layers of doors and an automated lock on the outside. It was almost silly to put a vent in this room, but then, it was probably a protocol for the building.

Another of the many X-shaped gadgets that Red X had was pressed against the glass display case, and to Starfire's surprise, the glass melted away in the shape of an X, leaving just enough room for the thief to slip his hand through.

"Glass-eating acid," he told her offhandedly. How he acquired these things, Starfire couldn't guess. He turned the necklace over in his hands, inspecting the pearls with narrowed eyes. The white spheres reflected the blue light beautifully. "I don't get it," he said with a shake of his head. "Clams- or is it oysters?- spit out these things. They're globs of oyster spit. And girls go nuts over them because they're shiny." His gaze turned to Starfire, accusing.

"I like gems because they are natural," she offered after giving him an indignant glare. "They come from creatures of the sea, as these do, or from deep within the planet. Each diamond has experienced thousands of lifetimes of heat and pressure, unimaginable to the breadth of our minds, and even before that they were glorious plants, rising up as tall as the primitive Earth lizards that roamed among them-" As she spoke, she got excited, her voice tumbling out before she could stop it.

"That's dinosaurs," Red X interrupted, sounding amused.

"What?" Starfire asked, confused at his interruption.

"'Primitive Earth lizards'. Dinosaurs, in layman's terms."

She glared at him, weary of constant corrections when her point got across just fine, and held out her hand for the pearls. He'd think she wanted to observe them, he'd give them to her and expect them back, and she wouldn't give them back. Even with all of the devices in his arsenal, Starfire doubted he'd be able to take them from her.

Instead, though, he stood behind her and draped the pearls around her neck, clasping them in place. "I guess a guy can understand when a piece like this is on a pretty girl, though."

That made her a little flustered. "X…"

The lock on the door spun open. Red X didn't even move. Was he expecting that?

Some form of big cat- mountain lion, cheetah, leopard, tiger, Starfire really couldn't tell the difference- Raven, silhouetted in an intimidating fashion by her cloak, Cyborg with his canon ready, and of course Robin, standing with his bo-staff flourished in front of him. All waiting to jump the criminals inside.

Red X reacted quickly, throwing smoke bombs- red smoke, not like Robin's white haze- at the ground between the two of them and the Titans.

Starfire hated smoke bombs. Her starbolts only made it harder to see, and the mist all around her made her anxious. She waved her hand in front of her face, coughing, although that didn't seem to do much. The clear path she'd cut with her hand to allow herself to breathe was plugged up by the viscous red smoke in no time at all.

The blast of Cyborg's sonic cannon, a crash on her right and shattering glass, then the soft-but-hard thud of skin on skin and a harder thud of someone's head hitting the pedestal. "Where are the pearls?" Robin growled, and Starfire could easily conjure an image of Robin growling over Red X as he forced him to hunch over the pedestal the display case was on. A deep growl from whatever animal Beast Boy had mimicked prompted an answer.

"Don't have 'em."

"Where?" Robin growled again.

"Ask your girlfriend, kid."

"Raven?" Robin called, giving a command that the empath somehow understood even without Robin saying it.

"I sense her. She's still here."

Starfire began to panic. This would look so bad. She was wearing Martha Wayne's pearls. How disrespectful was that? She hadn't meant to steal them, anyway. Her choices were fight or flight, or rather play dumb or flight, as she really didn't want to fight Robin just now. And she couldn't possibly play dumb while wearing the pearls. She attempted yanking them up over her head, but they proved too small for that. She raised her arms to undo the clasp, but Robin was too quick for her.

"What are you doing with those?" he growled, his bo-staff held in one hand while the other indicated the pearls.

"Uh…" she squeaked, frozen with her arms raised to her neck. How'd he find her so quickly in this fog?

A grunt of surprise was all Robin could manage before he and Starfire were thrown against the steel wall of the vault, Robin facing her and unnecessarily close. The wind was knocked out of her, and it took a moment for her to realize what had happened.

Red X had pinned them both to the wall with a large X.

She was going to kill him. She'd do it right in front of the Titans, if she had to. She suspected that the thief had done this on purpose.

"…Robin?" she squeaked.

"Hold- hold on," he mumbled, his voice startlingly close to her. She couldn't really see him through the smoke, although that was probably best.

A pneumatic hiss and a clang against the ductwork. Was Red X abandoning her? She really, truly hated him. "Robin, where are you?" Beast Boy called. "X is getting away!"

"Go after him!" Robin ordered, and Starfire could feel his body twist as he tried to turn in the direction from which Beast Boy's voice was coming.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Just… stuck. I'll meet you up there."

Oh, no. Starfire was _not_ staying stuck like this. "Actually, Beast Boy, I think help would be- mmph!"

Robin clapped his hand over her mouth to silence her.

"What?" Beast Boy called, his voice closer.

Starfire shook her head, but Robin kept his hand over her mouth. "Beast Boy, go after Red X. Now!"

"Got it!"

And then they were alone.

Robin released Starfire's mouth and growled unintelligibly.

"Why did you do that?" she hissed, displeased with him.

"Because," answered, calmly and infuriatingly. "He would have come to help us if you asked."

She glared at him. She hoped he could see with whatever capabilities were built into his mask. "That is the point."

"We don't need help," he told her disapprovingly.

"You had best have a reliable plan for freeing us immediately," Starfire snapped.

"I built this tech," he snapped back. "The weak point is in the center-"

"The center?"

"Yes," he answered impatiently. "Because-"

"Would that not be the most secure part of the structure?"

"I put in a safety-unlatch. In case these ever backfired."

"Oh." She paused. "The center of the device is behind you."

"Yeah," he muttered.

"Well how will you reach it?" she demanded, forlorn.

"If I can… contort…"

They were pressed very tightly together. Robin had been bracing himself with his palms flat on the wall, keeping himself as far away from her as he could with the band around them giving them no slack at all.

He moved away one hand, which he tried to twist behind his back. The device was too tight against them, though, and he couldn't bend his elbow back enough. "Dammit," he grumbled.

Starfire winced. The removal of his hand from the wall took away the support from his upper body. He was pressed even more tightly against her now, and it was hard not to notice the definition in his chest that wasn't apparent through his uniform. It was a good thing that her arms were still trapped mid-reach for the clasp at her neck, because she very badly wanted to run her fingers over- she scolded herself quickly for that thought.

He was making grunting noises as he tried to reach behind his back for the safety release. It wasn't helping. "Okay… maybe I can still…" His hand passed briefly over her stomach before it was squashed against her opposite side. He appeared to be trying to turn, but it was no use.

"Robin," she protested. "Robin, cease. You are not making the situation any better."

He sighed and swore under his breath. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

His hand returned back to the wall on her other side, and he mumbled, "Sorry," as his fingers dragged over her stomach again. A long sigh escaped from his lips and tickled Starfire's breath. She couldn't stay like this much longer.

"What now?" she asked, trying to sound polite and not… agitated, as she was.

"Um… You could try to reach it."

"I… pardon me?"

The smoke was beginning to clear now, so she tried to look as innocent as possible. The reason she was reluctant about that was because that would involve trying not to touch Robin in the process, which would surely yield the result of accidentally touching Robin in the process, which would yield the result of… Well, she wasn't sure what came after that, really.

"I do not think I can…"

"Aw, c'mon. Yeah you can."

"No. I mean, my arms are stuck." She wiggled her elbows to show him.

"Of course they are," he growled, displeased. "Okay, maybe I can push against the wall and put some more space between us."

"More space would be helpful," she agreed quickly. He raised an eyebrow at her, but she felt his body weight shift further away, leaning on the X heavily.

This didn't help as much as she hoped. She wriggled one arm down away from her neck. She was able to slip her arm through the gap in the X and she twisted her wrist, glad to get circulation flowing again.

"You good?" Robin asked, sounding strained.

"One arm is free."

"That's going to have to be good enough." He returned to his previous position, panting again. "Damn. I never thought I'd get stuck in one of these in this position," he mumbled to himself.

"If you could do that again, perhaps I would be able to slide down the wall until I can slip out the bottom?"

"No," Robin answered quickly.

She furrowed her brows at him. "Why not?"

"I…" He looked away from her. "It doesn't matter. Just no. Veto. The latch is in the shape of an X-"

"Of course it is," Starfire mumbled.

"-and you just need to apply pressure. I designed it to let go with pressure best applied from the thumb, but with your strength you should be able to do it with any finger."

"Can we not simply wait for your friends to come back?"

"No. Now hurry."

Starfire sighed and slid her fingers beneath the red device. It was a tight fit. She could probably push the device away better than Robin could with her strength, but she was concerned about pushing against his back too hard. It would be too easy to hurt him in this position.

"Robin… I think it is too tight," she murmured sadly. It didn't help that her other arm was still trapped up by her neck.

"What if I leaned forward more?"

"That would make it worse," she answered quickly.

"Huh?"

"Uh… does the device not cling to the shape of the object it surrounds? Leaning forward would only press us together more and make it harder to concentrate."

"Concentrate?" he echoed.

Oh, no, she hadn't meant to say that! "I mean… harder to maneuver… Um…"

"I guess you're right." There was a long pause, then, "You know, we wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't stolen those pearls."

"Excuse me!" she snapped as she tried to slide her fingers away from him. "I was not stealing them. I was going with Red X to ensure that they were not stolen."

"Right, like I believe that."

Starfire snarled at him angrily. "I did not wish to hurt you, but I cannot stay this way any longer." She pushed against the X with her hand that was still trapped between Robin and the material, then she threw her whole body into the push, probably bruising Robin's shoulder where hers pushed against him.

"No! Wait! Don't-!"

As the device pulled away from the wall, it smacked closed behind Starfire, encircling them in the embrace of a completed X.

"God dammit!" Robin growled, spinning them as they fell so that he was under Starfire. "This is worse. I told you not to do that!"

"You might have mentioned that before!" she huffed back.

"I tried to warn you!"

They were silent for a few moments, Starfire completely trying to ignore how close Robin was to her.

"Look, Starfire, I'm s-"

"Need some help?" Raven demanded.

"That would be nice, yeah," Robin mumbled as Starfire glared at him.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Robin answered quickly. "Just, the center… There's a safety release and if you-"

Raven formed a spike with dark energy in one hand and drove it through the middle of the X. The result was slightly startling, as the sides rolled up quickly, rather like pull and release blinds on a window.

Starfire sighed, relieved. "Thank X'hal that is over! Now if you will take these…" She reached up for the clasp again but she fumbled with it as her hand was still numb from being trapped in an upward position.

Robin stepped behind her silently and pushed her hair to the side, undoing the clap and removing the necklace wordlessly.

Without another word to Starfire he pulled out his grappling hook gun and nodded to Raven. The empath glanced back at Starfire but didn't question her leader, and she levitated into the air duct as Robin clicked the trigger on his grappling hook gun, pulling himself into the duct.

"Red X?" he asked, businesslike.

"Got away." Raven's voice floated through the air vent back to Starfire.

She felt oddly unhappy after that. She didn't know why forced proximity made her feel as though Robin should be nicer to her. Or why she felt sort of sad that he hadn't said anything to her after he got the necklace back. He didn't even thank her.

That was for later thoughts, however. For now, she had to find and punish Red X.

**Safety release is my headcanon. Robin's so paranoid, I doubt he would have built the suit without a sort of backup. I kind of stole the idea of Star and Robin getting squished together because of a Red X gadget from another fic of mine that I've been working on. So don't be too surprised if you see that pop up later in a different fic by me. Now that I used it in this, I might scrap it for that fic, I don't know. I just had to use it for this scene.**

**Up next: Betrothed the kiss edition.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Angst alert. Also fluff alert.**

**Betrothed- The Kiss Edition**

"Starfire?"

She turned and faced the pier. What in the name of X'hal was he doing here? "R-Robin?"

He stepped out from under the pier, ruining everything. How was she supposed to stay strong when Robin- the odd chink her armor, the person she couldn't understand but wanted to so badly- shows up like that?

He reached out to touch her and she was frozen. She wanted him to touch her, even briefly.

But he couldn't. A supportive touch on the wrist could so easily turn into a firmer grasp. Firmer grasps could become caresses or gentle brushes.

She couldn't. She was going to be married. She couldn't do this with Robin, not now. It would hurt too much in two days' time when she would be waking up next to her new husband.

She flinched back, her bare feet slipping on the sand as water rushed to shore, and she overbalanced-

A gloved hand caught her wrist and pulled her forward. "Are you okay?"

Don't do it, Starfire. Don't. "Yes, Robin. At least for the moment."

His grip on her wrists was loose, like he just forgot to let go. Like touching her came so naturally that he didn't want to stop.

Dangerous thoughts. "Um... Robin..." she muttered, trying to point out the fact that he was still holding her.

"Yeah?" he answered softly.

His voice was low in his throat and if it wasn't so dark, she might have been able to see his eyes behind the domino mask. She inched closer, hoping that maybe she could see if she looked harder.

"Star..." He put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her very gently. She rocked back on her heels but she didn't back up. "C'mon, stop it."

"Will you not allow me to know your eye color?" she sulked, pouting a little.

"I really shouldn't." One hand was still on her shoulder and the other was loosely holding her wrist.

"It does not matter," she pointed out. "I will be gone shortly."

"I know, but-"

Slowly, she trailed her fingers up the sides of his face, which shut him up effectively. Touching him like that awakened something in her, something fiery and overpowering. Her fingers slid under the domino mask. She felt his eyes flutter closed, but he didn't try to stop her.

The mask peeled away and she held it between two fingers. She gasped, moving her hands away from his face to cover her mouth. "Dick?!"

"Sh," he hissed, his eyes snapping open so he could look around them.

"How can you be Dick?" she demanded, bunching the mask up and holding her fist at her hip. He grabbed for her wrist so he could take it back from her, but she moved her hand out of his reach.

"Star, give it," he commanded.

"You are not supposed to be Robin! That must mean that Selina knew the whole time!"

He lunged for her wrist again, but she moved it behind her back.

"And that must also mean that Bruce Wayne is Bat-"

"Don't," Robin hissed at her. He leaned forward to reach her arm and the motion threw Starfire off balance.

Both teenagers fell with a splash into the frothy water. Starfire tried to keep the mask away from, but he pinned her wrist down with his hand. She could have broken his hold, of course, but suddenly it didn't matter to her whether or not he wore the mask.

He was kneeling next to her, adjusting his mask with both hands. Once it was on, he frowned at her. "You shouldn't have done that." He offered her his hand and she accepted it, allowing him to pull her into a sitting position.

"Tomorrow I will leave. Permanently. It does not hold much consequence."

He looked down at the water, and it was all so different know that she imagined how he looked under the mask. The expression he might hold in his eyes. "Starfire." His voice was very soft, almost sounding hurt. "I don't… I wish… You shouldn't have to do this."

"I know," she murmured, and he snapped his head up to look at her, which made her look away. "It is unfair." Tears brimmed in her eyes. "I am giving everything I can for a planet that allowed me to be sold away." She shouldn't be talking like this. It was traitorous. "I am finally happy, away from everything I'd ever known. And I am called back." Everything was blurred by tears, and she flicked her gaze back to Robin. A few tears escaped, and she could feel them trickling down her cheeks. "I do not want to go."

Robin took her hand and pulled her to him. He didn't offer any comforting words, but then, there probably weren't any. She pressed her forehead into his shoulder and she felt one of his hands against her back.

"I am frightened," she whispered.

They stayed that way for a while, even after Starfire stopped crying. Even after she had calmed down.

"Are you okay?" Robin asked finally, pushing her away to look at her face.

She considered the question for a few seconds. Was she? She had calmed, although nothing had been solved. And what was worse, the saltwater made her hair curl stupidly. But she was here with Robin, and somehow that made everything bearable. "Yes."

"Good." He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling supportively. "Everything will work out, Starfire."

She was forming an idea. An impulse that itched its way from her brain to her fingertips, eager to be acted upon. "Perhaps you are right," she mumbled.

"You'll see. It'll be fine. Lots of different cultures on Earth do arranged marriages, too, and those usually work out okay."

"Robin…" she said, the impulse taking over, despite her best attempts to brush it aside.

"What is it?"

Starfire grabbed his shoulders and pulled herself closer to him, planting a kiss right on his mouth. She felt so relieved, the itch leaving her brain.

Shortly after, she started to panic. That was the second time she'd kissed Robin without consent. That was no way to behave, not on Tamaran or on Earth. She let him go and shied away from him. "Robin, I apologize, I did not mean to be so forward… I…"

He sighed and pulled her out of the water onto the sand with him. "You're leaving tomorrow. That means that there're no consequences, right?"

"I…" she said again, confused.

He took on of her hands and stepped up so close to her, and she let her eyes flutter closed.

He kissed her softly and slowly, and a fluttery feeling rushed from her stomach up to her head, making her dizzy and too hot.

Neither of them really knew what they were doing, but it seemed to come naturally. Starfire tilted her head so that their noses didn't bump quite so much, Robin adjusted his grip on her hand and brought one hand up to rest on her hip.

He broke for air sooner than she did, as humans need to breathe more frequently, but he didn't end it there. More kisses, harder and faster than the one before, and Starfire was getting swept up in it all. She wound her arms around Robin's neck, mostly because her legs had gone weak and she needed the extra support.

Their mouths opened against each other, Starfire raised a hand to stroke her fingers against his hair. It was hypnotic and warm and safe even as it was new and exciting. So many different things rushing through her mind, yet not one thing seemed to be able to break through the cloud of want that fogged her brain.

Then shrill beeping made them both jump, and Robin pulled his communicator out of his belt. "What?" he croaked, keeping it closed.

"Dude, where are you? Overload's causing power surges in the traffic lights. Downtown's a wreck."

"I'll meet you there."

"Robin?" Starfire called sadly as he pocketed the device.

"I- I- sorry, Star, I gotta… You… Take care of yourself, okay?"

She was alone. Deliriously happy and somewhat crushed at the same time. At least she had the memory to help through her betrothal.

**Yep. Note that this is completely different. This would change the entire course of the whole story, not just one chapter. (I've made an AU for my AU. I don't know how you are supposed to feel about that.) I won't be expanding on the AU AU, though. Use your imaginations.**

**Up next: Remember that time Selina jacked the Batship?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Takes place during chapter 12 of Reach. Be aware: I skip around with time/location. There's one big jump and a small jump marked with an ellipsis. Even my 1500 word drabbles get kind of in epth. Also, my D key is still broken, so you know. Typos.**

At the Batcave, 10:00 am

"Master Bruce," Alfred chided. "Do control your temper."

"I'm sorry, Alfred," Bruce snapped, not sounding very sorry, although the aged gentleman knew his apology was sincere. "I can't believe she did this!"

Alfred stooped and righted the chair that Bruce had just kicked, placing it in front of the monitors where it belonged. "I understand that, Master Bruce, but that is no reason to damage furniture."

"She left me a _note_ Alfred," the young man growled.

"I see that, sir."

"Do you know what it _says?_" The young man pushed the cowl off his head, as though to get his point across to the older man even better. His blue eyes were full of fire and his mouth was set in a firm grin. He held a slip of paper under the older gentleman's nose.

"No, sir, I do not. You haven't read it out loud. I can only guess as to what Miss Kyle's message may be."

Bruce flourished the paper, which Alfred took with only a somewhat annoyed expression at having it waved under his nose.

_Thanks, hon. Bring it back ASAP. When I get back-_ Alfred cleared his throat as he accidentally read over something that was clearly meant specifically for Bruce and raised his eyes to his young employer, accusing. Bruce glared at the offending paper and gestured for Alfred to read the bottom portion. The older gentleman dropped his eyes to the end of the note. _Oh, and I took out the tracker. Love you. _

Bruce spread his arms wide to emphasize his exasperation. "I had not realized that Miss Kyle had declared her love for you."

Bruce's mouth fell open into a bewildered gape. "That is _not_ the point here, Alfred."

"Do you share her feelings, Master Bruce?"

Alfred's voice was detached and businesslike as always, but was that _hope_ Bruce could detect just beneath that veil of disinterest? "I… Alfred, she stole the Bat-ship!"

"Yes. Well, Master Bruce, I really don't know what you expected." The gentleman began tidying the area around the monitors, turning his back on Bruce, who was still watching him with an expression that was no less shocked than it had been, if a little more indignant. "You have given Miss Kyle full entry to the cave, not to mention each of the Bat-bunkers located around Gotham. You did this in good faith; however you knew of Miss Kyle's habits and especially her attitude toward stealing, or in this case, borrowing without permission."

Of course, Alfred would cover up his paternal scolding with a burst of random cleaning and dusting. After taking a few seconds to recover from his shock, Bruce blurted, "So you're saying this is _my _fault?"

"Of course not, Master Bruce. I'm merely asking you to consider your own actions, along with Miss Kyle's."

On the Bat-ship, 11:00pm the next day

Robin was sulking in the corner, as he had been for a while. Starfire hadn't approached him since she kissed him on the cheek, and he was at once glad for that and annoyed that she was doing it. He had other things to worry about, though. They were traveling at warp-speed. With Starfire expertly navigating, they'd be home any minute.

Bruce would not be happy.

Hopefully, he'd recognize that Robin was a victim in all this. And Starfire, too. He didn't really want to deal with Bruce being mad at her. Not that it really mattered. Starfire was just some girl. Not even that- she was just some criminal. Some criminal that he'd failed to arrest so far. Some criminal that he'd just traversed the galaxy to find and, if you wanted to put that spin on it, rescue.

When had it gotten so out of control?

…

"Out of control, Selina!"

Robin had returned to sulking, although this time he was leaning against the body of the Bat-ship as Bruce shouted at Selina.

Selina had dropped Harley and Starfire off at whatever ragtag place she lived in now… a converted animal shelter, by the looks of it… so at least that wasn't a problem. Robin would have gotten out with them, but it would look so bad for him to go with Starfire instead of come back home.

Bruce was mostly ignoring him, anyway, and right now he had Selina by the arm. He was dragging her up a little, and her feet weren't really touching the floor. Judging by the smirk she wore, Selina wasn't intimidated.

"I told you I'd bring it back. Here it is." Selina rested her hands on Bruce's wrists. "I don't see what the problem is."

Bruce pushed her against the Bat-ship, growling. "It's not about the ship. It's about you breaking into the cave and using what you want, when you want."

Selina rolled her eyes behind her goggles. "Sorry, I'll knock next time."

"I gave you access for emergencies only," he told her sternly, lowering her to the ground but keeping his hands on her, keeping her in place. She didn't seem to mind.

"I'll have you know it _was_ an emergency."

"What kind of emergency?" he asked doubtfully.

"I had to rescue Starfire from marrying a Sklerch," she informed him.

He released her fully, although the intensity of his Bat-glare doubled.

"That's not an emergency."

Robin furrowed his brow at his mentor. That was sort of cold. No. Robin made himself relax. Of course he wasn't concerned. Starfire was a criminal. Had he reminded himself of that enough lately? It would have been convenient if she had been married.

"Excuse me?" Selina demanded, her voice suddenly icy.

"Come on, Selina. I don't know why you're keeping her around for so long, but it has to end soon. She doesn't belong here."

"Why?" Catwoman demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. She flexed her right hand and her claws popped out of her glove. "Because she's an alien? How is she different from Superman, then?"

"That's different. Superman was raised here. His alliances are-"

"Alliances!" Catwoman spluttered. "What about Marian Manhunter? Aren't you afraid that he's spying for Mars?"

"Martian Manhunter is a refugee."

"Hawkgirl?" Catwoman retorted. "Stop making excuses for your prejudice."

Robin could almost visualize a tail twitching agitatedly. He was watching silently, calculating. Bruce couldn't be prejudiced. He's known so many different aliens. It wasn't that.

"It isn't that. When she first came here, the only that kept her from allowing Gotham- and possibly the entire planet- destroyed was diplomacy. Diplomacy, Selina. I don't have time for a little alien girl who can rip streets apart with her bare hands and works off of politics."

"She's learning," Selina hissed. "She didn't know the right words. She'd been locked away on a slave ship. She was scared."

Bruce crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. "Now who's making excuses?"

She snarled at him. "Don't you dare. Take your damn ship back." She whirled around and slashed her diamond-tipped claws over the body of the ship, leaving deep scratch marks on the surface, as well as creating a truly horrible noise.

Robin had never seen Bruce and Selina fight before. He'd heard them- Selina was fond of throwing glass- but they'd never done it in front of him. It looked like Bruce was about to let her walk away without a word, and truthfully, Robin expected him to. But he snatched her wrist as she was walking away. "Wait."

"Let me go," she snarled at him.

"Why do you care for the girl so much?" Bruce demanded, struggle in his voice. As he spoke, he flipped his cowl back so she could see his face. Confusion, not anger, shaped his features.

She wrenched her wrist out of his grip. "Ask your kid. Then you might find out the answer." She exited the cave and entered the Manor.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bruce demanded, rounding on Robin.

Robin threw up his hands innocently. "I have no idea. Don't drag me into the middle of this."

"Why her? There are so many girls her age that Selina could make her project instead. Why her?"

Robin shook his head to signify that he didn't get it, either. Maybe it was that cat gene thing that Starfire supposedly had. Maybe it was her superpowers. Maybe it was that she was lost. "I don't have an answer."

Bruce tensed and pulled the cowl over his head, tossing it and the attached cape on the ground.

"No. You don't. You weren't supposed. I was supposed to ask you so that I would realize," Bruce explained, mostly to himself, and he took the stairs going to the elevator that would bring him to the Manor two at a time.

"Realize what?" Robin called after him.

As the gate-like door of the elevator closed, Bruce answered, "Why did I take you in?"

Robin furrowed his brow again, the rattling of the elevator fading as it rose, leaving him in silence. It was a question that Robin asked himself many times. Why _had_ Bruce taken him in? Was it because he was looking for a sidekick, and Robin was markedly acrobatic at that time? Maybe it was some kind of connection, although Bruce hadn't seen very connected before his Robin training at all.

No. It wasn't either of those things at all.

Robin's parents died in front of him. Both of them in one fell swoop. His whole life changed in seconds.

It was because Bruce saw himself in Robin.

He was wrenched from his thoughts by the sound of glass shattering. Ah. This was the familiar part of the argument. Plates, from the sound of it. Bruce had better be careful, Selina was good at throwing those.

**A weird place to end it, really. But that's what I got. This was really more about Selina thank it was about Robin or Starfire and a little about Bruce. In the comics, Bruce did **_**not**_** like Starfire. He felt like she was too powerful and that she had too much sway over Dick's actions. I don't think I'll ever be able to write something where he approves of her entirely. Hesitant approval is probably the best you'll ever get from me.**

**Up next: Crash**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, guys. Um, Kev has some explaining to do. **

**I fell off the track with this fic, and I've kind of been thinking of it as a side project, which I suppose isn't good, especially since I'm not posting the things I'm thinking of as my real projects, and probably won't for some time as I want to finish them first, or at least have a real buffer. And I was reluctant to write this chapter, because I have to go back and watch the whole episode and I could be spending the time that it takes to watch the episode writing, and I just didn't do it. And I don't have wifi at my house and it makes everything so much harder than it has to be. Plus I've been working on requests. **

**I have more excuses, but I won't bore you with them. Basically, I'm sorry I haven't updated regularly, and I will try really hard not to o it again. Please don't hate me. **

**Also, sorry if I didn't reply to your reviews this time around. Again, won't happen again! Now that that's out of the way, who wants to see Cyborg eat weird crap?**

"You can keep your sprinkles, I need raspberry filling!"

Starfire cowered behind the corner of a building as she watched Cyborg punch a money-machine. Pink sparks danced around the machine until it spit out several bills of money, which Cyborg scooped into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully before spitting them on.

"No!" he wailed. "Not macaroni!" He lifted the machine and began shaking it as money fluttered to the ground around him. He stopped his grumbles when he noticed Robin and Raven approaching him slowly, with their arms held out to indicate their harmlessness.

Cyborg dropped the machine and ran away. Once dropped, however, the machine began to expand until it couldn't anymore, and it exploded. A grey stream of smoked came from some of the mechanisms in the ruined foundations of the machine.

"It's getting worse," Raven said gravely.

Robin nodded and inspected the ATM. "And if this is what it does to an ATM machine, there's no telling what it does to everything else."

"Titans?" Starfire called, and they both tensed up. "You are in need of assistance?"

Robin and Raven looked at each other unsurely. "Cyborg's… sick," Robin told her vaguely.

"And his sickness is making him act in such strange and violent ways?" Starfire asked, uncertain.

"Yep," Raven answered simply.

"Then please allow me to—"

"Starfire, I appreciate the offer, but we're already on cleanup duty," Robin told her distractedly. "I don't want to have to deal with you, too."

Starfire looked to Raven for help, who shrugged and said, "Some other time, maybe."

"Come on," Robin commanded, and he and Raven took off running.

Starfire folded her arms over her chest sulkily. If she were Harley, she would shrug and be on her way, and she'd probably already be planning some type of revenge scheme. But she wasn't Harley, and after bobbing in the air for a few moments and letting Robin and Raven get a head start on her, she followed them.

Cyborg was spouting off all sorts of nonsense about various types of food. He avoided Robin and Raven and actually put a great number of people in danger.

It was not until Cyborg assaulted a soda machine that Starfire realized the severity of his whimsical antics and his amusing phrases. After the soda exploded in the same fashion as the ATM, Robin took a moment to look out over the city.

The Titans were causing even more damage than usual. Stoplights were flashing red, green, and yellow all at once. Various machinery—Don't Walk signs, vending machines, ATMs—were damaged and smoking. People had gotten out of their cars because of the traffic lights, and many were on their cell phones.

"The city's communication hub," Robin muttered, pointing at a large satellite in the direction Cyborg had taken off. "If he infects that transmitter coil, the virus will spread to every machine within a hundred miles!"

Robin reached into his belt for his communicator. "Beast Boy! Gizmo! Report!"

"Eh, blow it out your cakehole," Gizmo replied flippantly.

"I think he means we're almost there," Starfire heard Beast Boy mumble nervously as Robin seethed over Gizmo's behavior.

"Almost isn't good enough."

"Don't rush me, scuzbreath," Gizmo snapped. "At the rate this virus is spreading, I don't even know if I can fix him anymore."

"You have to. If the virus isn't stopped, Cyborg could wreck the entire city."

Virus. A computer virus, Starfire understood. That didn't interest her much, but robin seemed frantic.

"And I'm the idiot who wrecked Cyborg." Beast Boy sounded so sad and guilty, it made her heart break.

Robin close the communicator and he called, "Come out, Starfire."

Drat. She floated down in front of him from her hiding spot. "Greetings," she said sweetly.

"Okay. You can help," he said as though she'd been pestering him the whole time. "It's distracting, having you watching everything like that," he added, his tone scolding. His deep frown made it clear that he had no idea that what he just said made a flurry of emotions spark inside her chest. Distracting. She was distracting him with just her presence. He noticed her all by himself, without her even having to do anything.

She swallowed away the electric feeling and she said, "You should have accepted my aid before."

"Starfire," he groaned, impatient, "I really don't have time. Just help us catch Cyborg."

"Very well."

They caught up to Cyborg at the hub. Raven created a flat disc of black energy that brought Robin in front of Cyborg.

This did not deter the confused teenager, who barreled on as though Robin wasn't even there.

Next, Raven tried creating a brick wall prison, four sides and a ceiling. This slowed him down, but he burst out in less than a minute.

There was a metal ladder fixed to the wall, probably used by maintenance workers, and as Cyborg started to climb up it, Starfire shot three starbolts as a warning. Insultingly, he didn't deign to come down from the ladder. He stayed on it and he took shots at her with his canon while holding the rungs with one arm.

She weaved through most of his shots, but one clipped her and she was so jarred by the hit that she fell. A fall from this height wouldn't even leave bruises, not on a Tamaranean, but somehow the landing seemed softer than it should have.

Robin caught her. She didn't know whether she should feel embarrassed or indignant or… something completely different from both of those. He didn't seem to realize he'd done anything unusual, he was so concerned about what Cyborg was doing.

Starfire shook the dizziness away and Robin set her on her feet. "I need leverage," he said.

It took her a moment to realize what he meant, but she nodded and lifted into the air. Once he decided the distance was suitable, Robin shot a line from his grappling hook gun at Cyborg and he became ensnared in it. She let him drop from a few feet, then she landed h=to help him pull Cyborg back.

His strength must be coming from the virus, because even with her strength, she could not make him stop. Raven even joined in, shrouding pipes or computer equipment in black energy and wrapping it around Cyborg. He snapped the pipes and Raven's black energy rippled back at them, sending all three through the air. They landed in a heap.

Starfire got up just in time to see Cyborg reach for the red tip of the large satellite and freeze. He appeared to sneeze before toppling over. She lifted Robin to the top of the structure, and Robin leaned forward with his hands on his knees. "Cyborg? Can you answer me?"

"Ohhhh…" Cyborg groaned. "My stomach. It feels like I ate a tire."

"Yes!" Starfire chirped happily, glad to see him back to his normal self.

"That's a distinct possibility," Raven said with a small, relieved smile.

When the Titans were ready to go and Cyborg had a blanket around his shoulders, Robin turned to Starfire. "Thanks for the help," he said. She raised her eyebrows expectantly and Robin added, "Um… and… sorry I didn't take it when you first offered. I'll… remember this next time."

She beamed at him. "It is not a problem. I will be seeing you," she said as she jumped into the air. She was excited to tell Selina and Harley about her odd day.

**Apologies, this one's sort of short. It's mostly the same as the show, I just wanted to put this chapter in because in my headcanaon (is it a little odd that I have headcanon for my own thing?) this happened. Plus… Robin catches Star and it's not the first time, but it's the first time I can make it canon for Reach. For reference, this chapter takes place between chapters twelve and thirteen of Reach. (That's between betrothed and Haunted.)**

**Up Next: Starfire meets Control Freak**


	7. Chapter 7

**So remember how Control Freak showed up during chapter 18 and he had already established a crush on Starfire? This drabble is set between chapter 12 and 13.**

She shouldn't. It wasn't important. It probably wasn't even interesting.

Little swarms of brightly colored creatures scuttled out of the video game store.

Well, that was practically an invitation. Starfire landed in front of the store. Game Stall, it was called. She poked her head through the front doors. It looked dark inside, although more brightly colored creatures skittered around.

"Hello?" Starfire called, confused. "Is anyone here?"

"Greetings, Titans!" A boy's voice called out, although by the pitch, he was pubescent. "Your number one nemesi—" He cracked open one eye, then his jaw dropped. He reached in a pocket of his jacket and sprayed some kind of aerosol solution into his mouth. "Hello, my lovely," he crooned.

Starfire lowered a brow at him. "Um… Greetings?"

The boy sauntered over to her, an odd swagger in his step that seemed to be a poor imitation of a duck. He held out his hand to her. "The name is Control Freak. Computer Genius, connoisseur of television, comic books, and arcadia, and number one enemy of the Titans." As he added the last part, he clenched his hand into a fist and brought it down, an od passion in his words. "Oh, and I run a Clash of the Planets fan blog."

Starfire extended her hand hesitantly, to be polite. Control Freak took it and pressed his lips against the back of her palm, which made Starfire quickly retract her hand. "Um… My name is—"

"Oh, my lovely, I know all about you. I follow a Starfire blog. I put you in my clash of the Planets fanfiction!" he told her enthusiastically.

"Erm… Pardon me?"

"Yeah. Okay, so Control Master—he's my original character—wins the heart of the lovely princess of Tamaran—that's you—the only problem is that she's engaged to the Zedi knight, Robin, and getting out of the betrothal would mean a civil war for her planet. So they stage her capture and Robin comes to rescue her, and Control Master quickly defeats—"

He was cut off by the light thud of boots on the ground. Robin was standing from a crouch, bo-staff already in hand. He glanced around the store and raised his eyebrows at Starfire. "You work with Control Freak now?"

"No!" Starfire denied quickly, more than eager to clear up that suspicion.

Unfortunately, while she was busy protesting, Control Freak put his arm out in front of Starfire and shoved her behind him protectively. "Don't worry, Princess Starfire! I'll protect our love!"

"Love?" she squeaked from behind the overzealous boy.

"That's from chapter eighteen of my fanfic," he explained offhandedly. "Speaking of which… Hooooooo-wah!" he yelled in a high-pitched voice as he brandished a photon energy sword at Robin. It had four multicolored blades, and Starfire was immediately interested in the technology.

Robin raised an eyebrow at Starfire, who shrugged in response before flicking her gaze back to the photon energy sword.

"Prepare to breathe your last, Skyjogger!" Control Freak cackled as he performed intricate twirls and spins of the sword.

"Dude," Beast Boy groaned near the candies located near checkout, surprising Starfire, "would you quit it with the clash of the Planets references already?" He scooped some change out of a pocket in his uniform and plunked it on the counter as he selected a candy.

Still goofing around with the photon sword, Control Freak pointed his remote at Beast Boy and his candy. Beast Boy shouted as the candy grew teeth and chomped at him, flinging it against the counter.

Now Starfire raised an eyebrow at Robin, who shrugged back.

Control Freak finally decided that it was time to begin an actual attack, and he leaped at Robin. His bo-staff, reinforced by the latest Bat-tricks, met the photon energy sword with a clack and a hum of energy.

Beast Boy ran down the aisles, flailing his arms over his head as the candy bar he was about to eat snapped at his ankles, and more of the brightly colored creatures—gumballs from the machine by the entrance—joined it in pursuing the changeling. It was a spectacle.

Starfire felt awkward, standing there watching. She wasn't about to pick sides, as she felt the Titans were better left to their own devices, at least unless they asked her. But she was eager to see any chance encounters with Control Freak reduced to zero percent as quickly as possible.

Robin pushed Control Freak back and the redhead slid on the floor. The Boy Wonder used the distance to drop to his hands on the ground and spin to knock Control Freak on his back.

"Little help?" Control Freak called to Starfire, who had not moved from the middle of the floor.

"I… have decided not to take sides," she answered timidly.

Beast Boy ran past Robin and attempted to cower behind his cape. Robin did not take kindly to this gestured and shooed his teammate with a sour expression on his face. "Dude! A little help would be nice!"

Control Freak grumbled and aimed his remote at a cutout of a bald, dark skinned man in a long coat with an eye patch.

Instead of the poster animating itself, a red beam bounced off the cardboard cutout and aimed itself back at Control Freak.

"What did he just do to Nick Fury?" Beast Boy demanded. The chocolate bar that was chasing him bit him on the ankle while he was distracted. "YEOWCH!" Beast Boy took off running again, the chocolate hopping along after him.

"Well?" Control Freak asked Starfire, his voice much less nasally than usual. "What's your decision?"

Confusion was evident on her face. "I… have decided to remain impartial?"

Control Freak grabbed Starfire's wrist and held it in front of his body as though he was aiming a weapon.

"But I have already decided—" she began, somewhat indignant at the redhead's behavior, but also bewildered by it.

"I recognize that you've made a decision, but given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it."

Robin didn't quite know how to handle this, but Starfire got angry.

"You cannot use me as a weapon!" she shouted, her eyes glowing. Using her superior strength, she flipped him over her arm so that he was flat on his back.

"Jeez, dude, how desperate are you?" Beast Boy, who'd stopped running long enough to take a jab at Control Freak, demanded.

"How desperate am I?" Control Freak countered immediately as he rose to his feet, slowly and dramatically. "You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you—"

"YARGH!" Beast Boy interrupted as the chocolate bit at his leg again.

Control Freak shook his head to clear it and picked up his photon energy sword. He spun it expertly. "With the combat skills of Nick Fury, I'll reduce you to so much rubble, Robin, and I can lay rightful claim to Princess Starfire!"

"Are you fighting over a girl…?" Beast Boy asked Robin, confused.

"No!" he snapped. "I don't know what he's talking about!"

"You are not alone!" Starfire told him, throwing up her hands in mild annoyance.

Control Freak began another assault on Robin, using the photon energy sword much more efficiently. Robin even had to duck a few times.

Beast Boy attempted to cower from the attack candies behind Starfire, who shushed him so she could watch the photon energy sword in action. With a frustrated cry, Beast Boy transformed into a rhino and trampled the stubborn candy under his giant feet.

As he did that, he disrupted Robin and Control Freak's fight, smashing the photon energy sword, to Starfire's dismay, and Robin soon had Control Freak handcuffed and submissive as he waited for the cops to come.

"I was just trying to get the new Zelda game before anyone else…" he lamented to anyone who would listen. (No one around him was listening.)

Starfire was poking at the squashed photon energy sword, attempting to analyze it.

"Why're you so interested in that thing, anyway?" Beast Boy questioned, looking at the movie prop brought to life disdainfully.

"This technology is far more advanced than what I have seen on Earth thus far. How does such a small hilt maintain the energy necessary for maintaining the solid shape of the beams?" she mused, mostly to herself but inviting Beast Boy to listen, as well.

"Sorry to break it to ya, but it's not real."

Starfire turned inquisitive eyes to the green Titan. "Truly?"

"Um, Yeah. Control Freak does this thing where he goes into the TV and he brings stuff out with him. So it's not a real thing. Sorry."

Starfire sighed. "Very well, then. I shall continue on my way home." She stepped outside the store and waved a quick goodbye to Robin.

"Goodbye, my sweet!" Control Freak called, eliciting a wince from Starfire. "Alas, I may be corporeally bound in Jump Juvenile Detention Center, but my love for you knows no bounds. Until next time, my ravishing—!"

Robin yanked on Control Freak's handcuffs, knocking the villain off balance an making him fall to the ground on his backside. "Don't talk to her that way," he snapped irritably.

Starfire beamed at him, glad of the interruption as Control Freak really was making her uncomfortable. "Good night, Robin," she bid sweetly before jumping in the air.

He grunted noncommittally, too busy brooding to properly answer. Starfire didn't let his incommunicative behavior spoil her good mood, however.

**Okay. I had fun with the Clash of the Planets things. Sue me. Also, in my hadcanon, Marvel superheroes exist as pieces of fiction—movies, comics, cartoons, what have you—in the DCU in general, Teen Titans included. Credit goes to the Avengers for the 'stupid-ass decision' line and the 'how desperate am I' line. (The how desperate am I line didn't fit very well, but I had Beast Boy call CF desperate and I couldn't **_**not**_**. Sorry, not sorry.)**

**Next up: Alternate ending of Haunted**


	8. Chapter 8

**Alternate ending to chapter thirteen, Haunted.**

Robin sighed. He flipped over in his bed so he was lying on his opposite side.

He had to be the only seventeen year old who was trying to sleep with the lights on.

His eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Someone was into the hall. Someone was lurking outside his room. His hand slid under his pillow and he grabbed the birdarang he'd shoved there, just in case. His pulse kicked into overdrive.

No, Robin. Don't get all worked up. It's not real. He threw the covers away from himself and he slid the door open manually so it wouldn't make any noise.

Starfire almost got a birdarang between her tiny, ovular eyebrows.

"Star?" he choked. "What are you doing?"

She looked upset. "I did not mean to disturb you. I simply wished to be sure that you were the okay before leaving."

"Um. Yeah. I'm fine." And totally not trying to sleep with the lights on.

"Why are you still wearing this article of clothing?" she asked, and she raised her hand to touch his face.

He caught her hand by the wrist before she touched him. "Kinda hurts to take it off." His eye was so tender that he didn't want to irritate it by messing with the glue. The skin wasn't broken, so it was probably better to just leave it for tonight.

"Can you not get Raven to heal you?"

He smiled at her. In a reassuring way. After everything that happened, he could still smile at Starfire. "My body's too stressed right now. She'll do it tomorrow."

Starfire didn't answer him, but her eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh, yeah," he said quickly. "How's your arm?"

She glanced down at where he'd dug his fingers into it and covered the spot with her hand. "That is inconsequential, Robin."

"Inconse-?" He gave her a sharp look and- gently- he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in his room. The door slid shut behind her. "It's not inconsequential. You should have planted two eyebeams in my face for that, Starfire."

"There was obviously something wrong," she rebuffed moodily.

"That's the second time I've done this. You shouldn't just let me- don't ever let anybody hurt you," he scolded.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "The marks on my arm will be gone by the time the sun rises. In. Con. Sequential." She leaned forward a little at the last five syllables, challenging. Then her expression softened and she swallowed. "Oh, Robin your injuries... are you in much pain?"

"I'm fine. Cyborg gave me painkillers. I just... can't sleep."

"Oh! I know many remedies to this particular problem!" She bounced up and down, happy to help him. "My favorite lullaby has three hundred-"

"Starfire," Robin interrupted. "I don't need a lullaby."

"There are many herbal remedies for the inability to sleep, yes? And many in the form of pills?" she continued.

"I'm not taking pills."

She tilted her head at him. "Is your inability to sleep rooted in fear?"

Robin scratched the back of his head. "Um, I don't know if it's-"

"On Tamaran, such concerns are met with paired sleeping," she told him. Her face was eager, like she really wanted to try it.

"P-paired sleeping?"

She lowered her gaze. "On Earth it is different, yes? On Earth the sharing of a bed is reserved mainly for those who engage in the act of-"

"Star," Robin interrupted gently. "Yeah, it's a little different."

"I apologize, then," she said meekly. "It was not my intention to be so forward. I merely hoped to bring remedy to-"

"It's okay."

Her gaze shot up to his and she smiled widely. "Then you wish to try?"

"Oh. Um, I didn't-"

"That is the relief because although I have seen many storms of thunder, I am somewhat unsettled by recent events, myself."

He stared at her, wide-eyed. He couldn't do this. "Okay." What? No!

She breezed in before he could rescind his invitation. Robin closed the door behind her quickly in case any of the others were thinking of wandering the halls at this hour.

Rain pattered against Robin's window steadily, the heavy clouds blocking the crescent moon. It was mostly dark outside, the lights in his room seeming even brighter.

"Are you sure you are comfortable with this?" Starfire asked in a small voice.

She was giving him a way out. Too late now, though. He'd feel bad if he chased her out now. Plus, it wasn't like the idea of someone else in his room wasn't a little comforting. "No, it's fine. Really."

"I am glad." She sat on the edge of his bed and fell quiet for a moment before saying, "Do you remember the first time I experienced a thunderstorm?"

"Yeah. You're okay with them now, right?"

"Indeed. I find them beautiful. Rain makes the most soothing noises, and the thunder sounds like the cries of a raykner beast. Lightning makes beautiful designs in the sky. This planet is full of terrible beauty."

Robin sat down on his side of the bed. He nodded, letting her words roll through his head. "Oh, um, I was thinking, for the sake of, you know, modesty… You could go under the sheets and I'll just sleep on top."

"Oh, no, that is the okay. You may go under and I shall stay on top. I do not wish to be confined."

Robin rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Are you sure?"

"Certainly!" she answered brightly. "I do not really require blankets, anyway. My star energy keeps me warm." In her cupped hands, she lit a starbolt as an example.

"Oh. Okay, then," Robin muttered as he pulled the covers back. So much for chivalry.

"Robin…?" Starfire asked after she stretched out next to him.

He winced. He really preferred to forget that she was there, get some sleep, then usher her out as early as possible in the morning.

"Yeah?"

"I am… terribly sorry that I stunned you," she whispered, sounding close to tears.

"Huh?" Robin asked, completely confused.

"Wh-when we were in Slade's old lair, y-you were about to attack the Titans and I…" she mumbled, not quite crying but with a definite shake to her voice.

Robin turned to her and took her hand. "Hey, hey, come on. It's okay."

"It w-was dishonorable. You had your b-back turned to me and I took advantage of your positioning and I shot you!"

"Yeah, but if you didn't I would have attacked my friends," he soothed as he patted her hand. "So I guess I should really be thanking you for that."

"Really?" the upset alien questioned, searching his face for any signs of dishonesty.

"Yeah. I don't want to hurt anybody, especially not my team, and you stopped me from doing that. So thanks."

A hesitant smile curved her lips. "Oh. Then… You are welcome." Her smile vanished and she added, "But please do not make me do that again."

He smiled. "I won't. Promise."

They settled into silence after that.

Starfire fell asleep quickly, which was some kind of a relief. He rolled over, studying her. Her hands were folded on her flat, tan stomach, fingers interlaced. Something about it was unironically regal.

Flaming hair sprawled out over the pillow, except for a few stray locks that clung to the sides of her face. Her eyes were closed gently, the large, round shape visible even as they were shut. She was so still. So delicate-looking, in stark contrast to the girl with glowing eyes and fists, trailing green energy behind her and tearing through the sky faster than sound.

Robin hastily lay flat on the bed. Maybe this was a bad idea.

He stayed awake for a long time. It was a peaceful wakefulness, enjoying the little sound of Starfire's breathing, hyper aware of all the shifts she made in her sleep.

And then he slept. No nightmares of Slade as he feared, and he was aware of the light on even as his lids were closed. Just warmth and rest and peace.

He yawned as he woke. His pillow smelled like shampoo.

Woah. He pushed himself up by his palms, arching his back to inspect his pillow. That wasn't his shampoo. And that wasn't his pillowcase. Bright red and silky and comforting. But not his pillow.

Somehow, in their sleep, both teens had shifted toward each other. Starfire's breath tickled Robin's cheek, and her fingers twitched in sleep, dangerously close to his chest.

Robin scrambled away from her so quickly he toppled over the edge of the bed.

Starfire started, sitting up quickly with starbolts in her palms. She looked about, thrown off by the change of location. "Robin?" she called as she remembered her sleeping arrangements from the night before.

"Ah, yeah sorry." Robin sat up and slung one arm over his mattress, sheepishly making eye contact with the groggy alien princess. "I was just… dreaming. And I rolled off the bed."

"Oh. I had best be going soon, anyway," she said as she stretched her arms above her head. She cracked one emerald eye open, studying him. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, actually. Much. Thanks." He gave her a small smile.

"It was pleasure, Robin." Starfire walked over to his window and pushed it open. "Any time," she added with a proud beam that most likely indicated that she'd recently learned the phrase.

"Okay. I might take you up on that."

Both teenagers froze; Starfire with a tilt of her head, confused, Robin with his mouth agape, shocked at what he'd just said.

"Any time," Starfire repeated before rocketing into the morning sky.

When she was gone, Robin sighed and fell back onto his bed.

**This isn't extra fluffy compared to last chapter or anything. It's just that I was going to use this and decided to do something different instead.**

**Next up: Starfire and Raven bond.**


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